"Gecko Moria, bounty: 320 million Berries."
"Empress Hancock, bounty: 500 million Berries."
"Law, bounty: 500 million Berries."
"Whitebeard Jr., bounty: 800 million Berries."
"Buggy the Clown, bounty: 800 million Berries…"
"Blackbeard Teach, bounty: 1.36 billion Berries."
"Dracule Mihawk, bounty: 3 billion Berries?"
First, Vivian was surprised that Buggy the Clown, after losing his Warlord status, was given a bounty of 800 million Berries by the World Government. Then, he was astonished that Mihawk's bounty was as high as 3 billion.
Three billion…
That's almost on par with the Yonko, right?
He truly is the world's greatest swordsman…
"Strange, why isn't Doflamingo on the list?" Vivian asked.
"Doflamingo's situation is a bit complicated," Tsuru replied. "In short, the higher-ups will send Kizaru to Dressrosa to investigate Doflamingo, so you don't need to worry about it."
Without Fujitora, sending Kizaru…
And they only used the word "investigate," not "arrest," which means Doflamingo must have a lot of leverage over the Celestial Dragons.
"One last question, why do I have to go along? Even though you promoted me to captain… there's no need to call me to the meeting room just for this, right?"
"Of course, it's necessary."
Tsuru smiled again, her wrinkles bunching up. "You are now one of the most famous figures in the Navy, aside from Garp and the three Admirals. The higher-ups plan to use you and Momousagi as the faces of the Navy for recruitment."
"Using me as the face of the Navy?"
"That's right."
Tsuru nodded. "So, this time, there will be reporters accompanying you to document the journey. I called you here to remind you to pay attention to your image during the mission. Also, if you encounter an enemy you can't defeat, try not to engage to avoid embarrassment."
Vivian: "…"
An enemy I can't defeat?
Hmph, aside from the Admirals and the Yonko, there's probably no one who can take me down now.
"Understood." Vivian agreed readily.
As an employee, he couldn't refuse anyway, so he might as well accept it cheerfully, right?
As for Doflamingo…
Even if Kizaru is handling it, if he happens to pass by and wipes out the Donquixote Family, the World Government surely wouldn't blame him.
They might even thank him for solving a big problem.
…
When he left the base, it was already around 1 PM.
Feeling his stomach growling, Vivian called Fujitora and headed towards the nearby town.
The town near the current Navy headquarters had been expanded from the original settlement. Since the end of the war nearly two years ago, the headquarters moved, and many Navy families moved in, increasing the number of houses from less than a thousand to several thousand.
The once desolate area had become crowded, and the town had become more prosperous compared to two years ago. It also attracted many strong young people who wanted to join the Navy and settle there.
Vivian and Fujitora wandered around the town for a while and finally found a decent-looking restaurant and walked in.
"Welcome, what would you like to eat?"
"Ten bowls of seafood fried rice, and for the rest, bring one of each of your signature dishes," Vivian said.
Don't get it wrong, the ten bowls of seafood fried rice weren't for two people to share. Vivian would eat eight bowls, and Fujitora would eat two.
Despite Fujitora's large build, his appetite was about the same as an average person.
But Vivian was different. When he started eating, his stomach seemed like a bottomless pit. It's no exaggeration to say that if he went all out, he could eat as much as half of Luffy.
The two found a place to sit, and Vivian took out his mobile phone, intending to call Domino.
He had left the second phone at Impel Down and taught Domino how to watch various anime and movies. This not only helped her pass the time but also made it easier for them to stay in touch.
Just as he opened the screen and was about to dial, the conversation from the next table caught the attention of both him and Fujitora.
"It's been almost two years…"
"Yeah, in a blink of an eye, it's almost two years. In a few months, it'll be my father's death anniversary…"
The younger family member said, taking a swig of beer and slamming the glass on the table with determination. "This time, I must get selected in the recruitment. I want to follow in my father's footsteps, join the Navy, and eliminate the Whitebeard Pirates, eliminate the Four Emperors!"
"That damn Loget Larvin, they say he joined the Whitebeard Pirates and succeeded Portgas D. Ace as the captain of the second division."
"Twenty billion Berries bounty… it's been increasing recently. At this rate, he might even challenge the Four Emperors."
"One demon's son died, and now there's another monster… The Whitebeard Pirates might be even stronger than before."
"So what! One day, I'll drive all the pirates into prison from this sea!" the young man said through gritted teeth.
"But I heard that the Navy guy named Vivian is coming back to headquarters. The Thunder Swordsman, the one you admire the most."
"Really?"
"Really! I heard it from my brother, who's a Captain."
"Does that mean I might get to meet him? If only he could teach me swordsmanship…" the young man said excitedly.
Ever since he saw Vivian's performance live, his sharp sword skills and fearless spirit deeply moved him, making him a die-hard fan of Vivian.
"Are you talking about Thunder Swordsman Vivian?" someone else asked.
"Yes. At just twenty years old, he could single-handedly hold off the Phoenix with his superb swordsmanship!"
"Him? I know him, the youngest swordsman in the Navy! But for some reason, I've never seen him around here in the year I've lived here."
"I heard that two years ago, he lost a warship while chasing the Straw Hat Pirates and was sent to Impel Down by then-Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Now that his term is over, he's back."
"That's great… Our town not only has the three Admirals and Fleet Admiral Akainu protecting us, but now we also have Thunder Swordsman Vivian. Let's see which Four Emperors' pirate crew dares to cause trouble here."
The room fell into a brief silence.
After a while.
"Admiral Momousagi is here!"
A voice called from outside the door.